


Phone Calls Are Nothing Compared to You

by toriosaurus



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, Castiel/Dean Winchester One Shot, Depressed Castiel, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Jock Dean, M/M, Nerd Castiel, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-30
Updated: 2014-11-30
Packaged: 2018-02-27 13:23:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2694635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toriosaurus/pseuds/toriosaurus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean knew that phone calls from Cas only meant bad things were going to happen, that's why they always texted.  But how could he deny his boyfriend of three months an answer, when he knew Cas needed him the most?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Phone Calls Are Nothing Compared to You

Dean knew he shouldn’t have answered his phone. In the back of his mind, he knew that every time he picked up the phone it caused him pain. He knew that tonight would be no different… So why bother?

Because the caller ID that popped up stopped Dean in his train of thought. It simply read ‘ _Cas’_. Cas. Beautiful, wonderful, Castiel Novak. Castiel, who had Dean’s boyfriend for all of three months, but friends since 5 th grade. Every thought was pushed aside because Cas meant more to Dean than anything, especially if he knew his boyfriend was going through a rough time.

Tonight was no different than the countless of nights before. Yet none of the memories of before was ever going to be enough to prepare Dean for the state of Cas’ voice when he uttered the word his name, “Dean.”

Cas’ voice was wrecked; hoarse and raw, like he had just finished crying not too long ago. Knowing Cas, he probably had been. His breathing was uneven and shaky, as he waited for Dean’s reply. “Cas,” Dean finally said back. “Baby, what’s wrong?”

Cas took a shaky breath over the phone. “Dean, I had a bad day.”

Dean stiffened. Shit, this could not be happening. Dean really thought Cas was doing good, staying clean, getting better. Evidently not. All Dean wanted to do was reach out through the phone and pull Cas into his arms, tell him everything was going to be okay.

Slowly Dean asked, “How bad are we talkin’ here, Cas?”

“So bad that when I accidently cut my finger on the sharp edge of the tape dispenser I started thinking about, uh, _you know_.”

Fuck, Dean did know. Dean probably knew more about _that_ than Cas’ parents did. Really it had been what brought them together in the first place.

About a year ago, Castiel was technically diagnosed with depression. Dean always uses the word technically because a doctor didn’t diagnose him until nine months later, Castiel diagnosed himself. The stress of school, college, family, and the weight of the world had finally come crashing down on his friend.

School was getting hard when the young Sophomore had taken two AP classes right of the bat. College demands were getting higher and higher, so even with Cas’ solid SAT and ACT scores, AP credits, and possible teacher recommendations, he still didn’t think he was going to accepted.

Family had always been an issue in Castiel’s life as well. When he was seven, his father left his mother for another woman. Sure, he still kept in contact with his dad, and went up to his house every other weekend, but the damage had never been repaired.

Castiel’s self-harm and later first attempt at suicide was the yellow neon flashing sign that he wasn’t okay. That’s also when the phone calls started happening. It was a ritual really, whenever Cas was dealing with too much he would call Dean and plea to hear his voice, say the reassuring words that he would always be right here.

It wasn’t Dean’s fault that three months ago, when Cas was going arguably the hardest time he ever had, the words slipped out of Dean’s mouth _. “Cas, listen to me, I need you. I need you more than I’ve ever needed anything else in my life. More than my mom, more than my dad, hell even more than Sammy. I can’t even imagine my life without you. Actually, fuck that, yes I can and it wouldn’t be pretty—,” Dean faltered. “– Cas, what I’m trying to say is that I – I love you.”_

Dean definitely didn’t have anything to do with Cas’ reaction over the phone. At first Dean heard nothing and was absolutely positive he had screwed up their whole relationship. Next he heard Cas’ sniffling and choked up voice. However this was different than it was prior his confession, it almost sounded _happy_. And if Cas’, _“I love you too,”_ was any more indication of how he felt, well then that was Dean’s luckiest day.

“Are you okay?” Dean asked hesitantly.

Cas sucked in a shaky breath. “I don’t know. Dean, I just really need you here.”

How could Dean say no to that? How could he say no to Cas in general? Dean took his phone away from his ear to check the time. The digital clock read 10:48, much too late to ask to go over to Cas’, yet much too early to sneak out of the house.

Dean brought the phone back to his ear. Without hesitation he replied to Cas, “I’ll be right over, ten minutes tops. Just try and relax and take deep breaths, okay?”

Dean heard a muffling across the ear piece and assumed that Cas had nodded. As Dean made his way downstairs he ended his call with Cas with a quick ‘I love you.’

As Dean moved through the kitchen and across the living room, no one appeared to be downstairs. He sent a silent prayer of thanks that getting out of the house was that much easier. After he grabbed his dad’s keys off the counter and pocketed them, he wrote a quick note to his family explaining that he was going to Cas’. Before he left, Dean quickly shrugged on a gray sweatshirt and then finally pulled out of his house.

True to his word, ten minutes later Dean was knocking on Cas’ door. The door swung open almost instantly, followed by Cas himself flinging into Dean’s arms. Dean was met with a mouth full of dark brown hair, but he couldn’t find it to care all the much when Castiel was in his arms, breathing.

“You’re here,” Cas breathed out, his head snuggling into Dean’s chest.

“’Course I am. Why, did you doubt me?” Dean asked teasingly.

“No. I just really missed you.”

Dean’s heart swelled as he brought Cas in for a quick kiss. Dean noted that his lips still tasted like salt, but at least the tears were replaced with even breathing.

“Come inside, Dean,” Cas whined into the cold winter night, as he tugged Dean in by his sweatshirt pocket and shut the door firmly behind them.

Dean was finally able to take Castiel in for himself without guessing over the phone. He looked awful to say the least. His hair was even more disheveled than usual sticking up in every which way, his clothes weren’t in much better condition. However, Cas’ face was probably the thing that scared Dean the most, his eyes were red, bloodshot and tired, his cheeks were obviously stained from his salty tears, and his lips were swollen like he had been biting on them all night.

Dean smiled sadly at Castiel before bringing him in for another hug. Dean’s wrapped his arms firmly around Cas’ waist, Cas’ coming up not too far off on Dean’s own body, their heads both resting on the other’s shoulder.

All Dean had to do was breathe in Castiel and know that he was okay for now. That everything was going to be okay. Slowly they released each other and reached an agreement. Castiel would go shower while Dean made him some hot chocolate and they would both meet in Cas’ room.

Fifteen minutes and two cups of hot chocolate later, Dean had a semi-wet Cas wrapped up in his arms while he sipped his own hot chocolate. Dean’s phone was in the middle of them as they shared headphones, each with a bud in their ear, and listened to Dean’s playlist.

It wasn’t until six songs in that Cas finally spoke up. “I really like that one,” he commented after the previous song ended.

Dean picked up his phone and clicked the back button on his iPod setting. “What? _The Best of Times_ ,” Dean asked as he read off the song title.

Cas nodded into Dean’s chest, his eyes fluttering shut. “Play it again?”

Dean smiled down at Cas and put the Styx song on repeat.

_The best of times are when I'm alone with you._

Not even two minutes into the song, Dean noticed that Cas had snuggled in close with his hand linked with Dean's like it belonged there.

_Some rain some shine, we'll make this a world for two._

Cas' breathing evened out as he slowly started to nod off, the song still playing in his left ear.

_Our memories of yesterday will last a lifetime._

Carefully, Dean extracted the mug from Cas' hands and placed it on his bedside table.

_We'll take the best, forget the rest._

Slowly Dean found himself cuddling impossibly closer to Cas. Four months ago, this would have scared the crap out of him. But now?

It felt almost like a second nature.

_And someday we'll find these are the best of times._

In the end, it was totally worth listening to a sappy 80's song when he got to see Cas' smile before and during his sleep.

 

* * *

  

Dean didn’t even realize that he had fallen asleep himself until he was woken up by Cas’ mother the next morning for school, the song still on repeat in his right ear. She looked confused but didn’t question it as she had efficiently done her job and got both boys up. Besides it’s not like she was going to kick out her son’s boyfriend, or best friend for that matter.

Fuck he was going to get in so much trouble when he came home from school today. But when he thought back to last night when Cas had smiled listening to that Styx song, or even right now as he tugged on Dean’s gray sweatshirt he himself had fallen asleep in last night, it was so worth it.

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for my beautiful and wonderful best friend who has been going through an incredibly tough time lately. Semi-based on true events. Mainly written to show her how much I care and for some reassurance. :)
> 
> The song referenced is the obviously The Best of Times by Styx which can be found here!


End file.
